Logging unit



V Dec. 10, 1929. 4 P. A. WICKES 1,733,747

LOGGING UNIT Filed Sept. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN'vE/v TO R RA.W1CKE$ BY f7a/ Arron/MY.

Fatented Dec. 10, 1929 POWERS A. WICKES, OF POR'1LA1\TD, OREGON, ASSIGNTOB T WILLAMETTE IRON AND STEEL WORKS, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON LOGGING "UNIT Application filed September 22, 1926. Serial No. 136,973.

This invention relates generally to the logging industry, and particularly to a special combination and arrangement of machines by means of which logs may be brought in from the Woods and deposited near trackage and then picked up bodily and placed on cars. Provision is also made for spotting the cars.

The first object of this invention is to so arrange theelements of the unit that the slack line engine-that is the engine which handles the carriage carrying cable of what is known as the slack line system--can be mounted on a movable car or sled, together with the other engines, instead-of requiring it to be placed on a separate sled at a considerable distance from the foot of the tower or mast under which the unit is operated, owing to the great pull on the track line.

It is to be understood that this relates particularly to logging systems in which the track line is raised and lowered during operation.

The second object is to so arrange the elements on the car as to more equally distribute the load thereon, and at'the same time prevent the car from trying to climb up the mast, in spite of the fact that the car and mast are each mounted on separate. foundations entirely independent of each other, for reasons well understood by those versed in the art.

The third object is to arrange the elements so that it will be possible to use the slack line system of logging having the engine mounted on the movable platform or car, which lends itself to the making of a combination machine that is both slack line and interlocking. In this case the slack line is pulled up and held by its own engine and the interlocking system is employed on the fixed track line. Here too, the upward pull of the track line is great, but the carriage is prevented from rising by means of the-spar which may either be in the straddle form, as a fabricated tower, or may be a single spar tree to which the foot .of the car can be made fast.

The fourth object is to secure a considerable saving in labor owing to the fact that a separate engineer need not be employed for the outlying track handling engine, as is ordinarily the case.

The fifth object is to secure the advantage of having a storage drum for the skyline during moving operations without providing additional equipment. l 1

The sixth object is to'enabl'e the operator to handle greater loads with his unit when interlocking, owing to the fact that he can, under extreme loads, allow a greater deflection in the track line by merely slacking oif on the track (line engine, thereby greatly reducing the strain on the associated'parts.

These, and other objects, willbecome'more apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: I I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tower unit including the car, spar boom and various engines in which a few unimportant details are omitted. Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1 having the mast broken away along the line 22 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the relation of this slackening unit to a slack line logging operation. Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken along the line 4.lin Figure 2 to show how the spar prevents the car from being lifted by the action of the lines.

Before entering into the explanation of this logging machine it must be understood that the general scheme herein presented has been attempted in the past, but has only been made possible by separating the track line engine from the rest of the equipment and placing it on a separate sled at a considerable distance from the foot of the spar inorder to avoid the tremendous lifting action which the track line wouldexert on its engine if placed close to the spar. V

This invention relates especially to what is knownas the slack line system in which the carriage-carrying line or track line israised and lowered at each operation or handling of aload." V v v The other system to which this invention relates is the interlocking system in which the track line is stationary and the handling of the load is determined by the relative movement of the main or haul-in line and the haulback line. Each of these two systemshas advantages and disadvantages which are made illustrated the outline of a car 10 on whose tem and then change over to the interlocking.

system for a short time, alternating back and forth between the two systems, depending upon the conditions above named, and it is to expedite such shifting of systems that ihis unit especially lends itself.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

In order to explain this invention there is rear end is mounted a donkey boiler 11. On the forward end of the car is mounted a slewing engine 12, including a boom 13 which operates'at the foot of the tower 14 which, in this instance, straddles the car and is provided with jacks 14-A by means of'which the car is prevented from being lifted by the upward pull of the lines. 1

It is to be borne in mind that the car and tower are independently supported upon the ground, the only relation existing between the tower and car residing in the fact that the tower carries a stop which prevents the forward end of the car from rising between the feet of the tower.

Onthe car 10, next to the tower 14 is placed a slack line engine 15 which handles the track line 16 which is lead by'the sheaves17 to the center of the tower 14 and then passes over the large sheave 18 at the top of the tower 14, and then through a shoe'19 on the tail-tree 20, after which it is made fastto a suitable anchor. 1 V

On the track line 16 is a carriage 21 to whose forward side-is attached the main line 22 which passes over-the sheave 23 on the tower 14,-and then down to the yarding engine 24 on the car 10 near the boiler :11. Leading from the same yarding engine is a haul-back line 25 which passes through the sheaves 26, 27 and 28 and fastens to the rear side of the carriage 21. A suitable chain and choker hooks 29 are attached to the carriage 21 for the purpose of handling the log 30. Guy lines 31 support the tower 14, as is common practice.

In some cases the frame 32 is provided over the engines for the purpose of supporting a protecting roof and mounting smaller. machine elements, guy lines, etc. "The small car spotting engine 34 and lines 35 are also in dicated. In .some instances the steel tower 14 can be dispensed with and the forward end of the car maybe prevented from rising by blocking same down from the foot of a head tree in any convenient manner.

In operation the system is rigged as would be other slack line systems, except that the track line handling unit is on the car as near as possible under the tower. .Usually the entirezcar is acked up clear of the ground independently of the tower foundation and high enough so that the empty cars can pass under same.

It will be noted that the entire car is held downward by gravity, but that its forward end is further secured against being lifted upwardly by the tower itself. Obviously, the entire unit may be placed on a sled or plat-; form as well as on a car.

If the carriage 21 is suitable for interlocking purposes and it seems desirable to employ this system, either momentarily or continuously, then the track line 16 is drawn up tight and held by its own engine at the foot of the tower 14. As stated, the logs are now hand'led by varying the tension on the main line and haul-back lines, as is well understood in interlocking systems. Changes in set-ups are now easily made, since the means for loosening, tightening and storing the track line are always available in the form of the slack line handling engine. temlends itself to the interchangeable use of both the slack line and interlocking systems with a vast saving of time and money, and at the same time converting the entire slack line outfit from a two unit member to a single unit logging machine.

It will be noted that the term slack line "and. track line areused somewhat inter changeably, partly to, prevent confusion of the term slack line as here used with the same term as otherwise employed in the woods,-and also due to the fact that when used as an interlocking system the trackline is no longer a slack line. i I

I am aware that practically all of the ele- In other wordsthe sys- .ments involved in this unit have been preplatform; and a track line engine between said tower and yarding engine.

2. A logging unit having a platform, in. combination with a tower independently supported near one end of said platform; jack means between said platform and tower for preventing one end of said platform from being lifted; a yarding engine on the unsecured end of said platform; and a track line engine on said platform between said yarding engine and the secured end of said platform.

POWERS A. WICKES. 

